Wednesday, 11 September 2013

Winnipeg to Edmonton

Well here we are in Edmonton after what was a wonderful trip on the train. We went for a tour in Winnipeg whilst the train was being serviced and new passengers loaded on. In total there were over 500 on the train so we were quite a small town on the move. Our tour of Winnipeg was very informative and if it hadn't been raining there were some beautiful English styled gardens we would have loved to spend more time in with amazing sculptures throughout.We saw some of the most magnificent private homes which were established last century on the fortunes made from trade through transport on the train line we were on.The State Legislature Building was absolutely magnificent created from stone quarried locally and in some parts has fossils contained within the stone. There are two huge life size bisons at the foot of the staircase up to the senate room and an amazing painting at the top of the stairs. Above us a huge dome just finished this magnificent building, although it seems politics are the same everywhere as we were comforted to hear! Their politicians don't seem to be the most admired people either.There is also a diversity of agriculture and as Warwick told us canola is huge in the area. Their harvesting practices are really interesting. The canola is quite green when harvested green and pushed into furrows from where it seems to sit until it dries out and is then picked up. We watched last night as the harvester went on its mission through the field. We were surprised to see so much harvesting late into the evening, particularly when it had been wet. We didn't see what happened when it dries out only the cut stage and the bare field after it is collected. There were also lovely fields of sunflowers, some with their heads down all facing the same way, others still bright and yellow heads facing straight up to the sun.We also saw a lot of wheat.Still not much wildlife although we have seen a squirrel or two. The Canadian squirrels are black and just a little body and a huge fluffy tail. When Ian tried to photograph one it ended up looking like it was a foot long in the photo as it was running so fast.Plenty of beaver hides but no sign of life and a bison farm from a distance, even from a distance you can see they are immense animals.The train arrive in Edmonton two hours late and we are now at the hotel hoping to get into our room before we meet the Osbornes at noon. Very excited.We are staying at the Fantasyland hotel in the West Edmonton Mall. It's a bit like Las vagas without gambling, what a hoot!